Public attention has been directed to phenoxyallene compounds and their polymerized products since a radical polymerization of phenoxyallene compound of the formula: EQU CH.sub.2 .dbd.C.dbd.CH--O--C.sub.6 H.sub.5
was first reported in Polymer Preprints, Japan 35(2),133 (1986).
The publication also indicates certain substituted phenoxy allene compounds as cyano- or methoxy-substitued phenoxy allene compounds.
Such a compound has in its molecule an allenyl group in which 3 carbon atoms are connected in line with two separate double bonds, and therefore, it is radically polymerizable just as a vinyl monomer. Moreover, thus formed polymer includes, in its main chain, the following repeating units: ##STR1## and said vinyl ether group and allyl group are ionically or radically polymerizable with other vinyl monomers and said phenoxy group is still reactive with other materials.
Therefore, this polymer can be used as a starting material for the synthesis of other novel polymeric substances which are expected to be useful as resinous vehicle in paint and for other uses in various technical fields.
Nevertheless, the known aromatic allene compounds are quite limited in number.
An object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a novel class of aromatic allene compounds. An additional object is to provide an industrially and economically acceptable method for the preparation of such allene compounds.